The report card is a lot more optimistic.
Otago had a much better day yesterday but still has a mountain of work ahead if it is going to avoid a heavy defeat to Canterbury at Hagley Oval.
The Volts are 218 for three in reply to Canterbury’s first-innings total of 517.
There is still a colossal deficit but Otago showed plenty of grit with the bat.
Everybody in the top five enjoyed a lengthy stint at the crease and the Volts will need more of the same resistance when the match resumes this morning.
The home side started day two of the Plunket Shield match in a very good position.
Leo Carter and and Cameron Fletcher had rattled on rapid centuries and their side resumed on 435 for five.
The Volts were without talisman Jacob Duffy, who picked up a muscle strain and will not bowl in the match.
But Travis Muller was rewarded for some hard toil and helped pry out the remaining five wickets relatively quickly.
He finished with five for 131 from 24.1 overs to help dismiss Canterbury for under 520.
It was a massive total but at the start of the day a tally north of 600 seemed likely.
Wrist spinner Michael Rippon ended the punishing partnership between Carter and Fletcher.
Carter lofted a tired shot to Nathan Smith on 169.
The mammoth 305-run stand was finally broken. It eclipsed the previous Canterbury sixth-wicket record against Otago of 293 unbroken set by Peter Fulton and Neil Broom at the University Oval in 2004-05.
Fletcher went on to reach 157 before offering Muller a caught and bowled dismissal.
The remaining wickets fell rapidly.
Otago openers Hamish Rutherford (60) and Anaru Kitchen (33) put on 55 for the first wicket and Mitchell Renwick added 42 in a solid effort by the top three.
Nick Kelly is undefeated on 50 and Dale Phillips is at the wicket with him on 24.
They have put on 65 for the fourth wicket and will need to grow the partnership significantly if Otago is to avoid a large deficit.
In the other games, Northern Districts skittled Auckland for 141 at Cobham Oval. Scott Kuggeleijn took a career-best seven for 45 and Northern is 112 for two. Jeet Raval is leading the reply with 63 not out.
In Napier, Central Districts was bowled out for 175. But Wellington has slumped to 60 for five in reply.
